A tracked machine, such as a hydraulic excavator, employs a final drive in order to transfer mechanical power from a portion of a transmission system to a track of the machine. The final drive may include one or more gears rotatably mounted on one or more shafts respectively. Generally, the gear may be retained on the respective shaft by using a thrust washer and a snap ring.
Generally, a thickness of the snap ring may be substantially lesser than that of the thrust washer. Also, a width of the snap ring may be substantially lesser than that of the thrust washer. As a result, a thrust loading condition within the final drive may result in increased contact stress between the thrust washer and the snap ring. Also, in a harsh working condition, such as an extended operation in a wet and/or corrosive environment, water may enter the final drive and may result in accelerated wear of the thrust washer and/or the snap ring.
The increased contact stress may result in deformation of the snap ring, accelerated wear of the snap ring and/or the thrust washer, and, in many situations, a structural failure of the snap ring. This may, in turn, lead to increased movement of the gear and/or the thrust washer with respect to the shaft resulting in premature failure of the final drive. Hence, there is a need for an improved snap ring assembly for such applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,999,412 describes a self-locking two piece fastening device. The two pieces are adapted to be inserted radially into a peripheral groove in a shaft from opposite sides thereof and snapped into locking engagement with each other in cooperative relationship with the groove.